Tico Restaurant DC Review

Loved the experience of creating and being a part of a luxurious art environment

I couldn't believe the very lack-luster food truck style and pricy menu.
$12 for 2 very small briny duck tacos,
$11 for a small handful of calamari,
The Mac n Cheese was for a serving for a baby.
The expansive tequila offering feels like a gimmick as it is overwhelming for the staff.
My group was also underwhelmed.
I don't want to walkout stuffed, but more importantly I don't want to feel unsatisfied.

Is the worse food ever, I was there on a Monday and is the worse food it is super salty and they have bad customer service

I'm 100% Mexican, I do not live in DC and that's why you have to take this message into account, firstly the food, the taste, the quality are fantastic. I recommend the homemade chorizo, mezcal flamed melted cheese and the tacos two textured beef; Secondly, the attention of the waiter and the two bartenders who attended us was excellent, I wish I could know the name of the waiter who was very professional, kind and bilingual! And in the third place I highly recommend the spicy margaritas wow !, with fresh ingredients and the frosty glass with chili are delicious.
It is very easy to get to Ticos by subway or by any other means. If you are Mexican or Latino and you want to find a place full of flavor and a pleasant atmosphere, go to Tico!

Manager was rude . Literally he is a d*ckhead to his staff members and drinks were nasty especially the hibiscus margarita .

Hibiscus margaritas, "papa made bail" spicy pisco drink on "tap" are both strong. Mac and cheese, cauliflower, and ceviche are some of my favorite small plates.

My favorite restaurant in DC. Good food. Smooth drinks. Sexy vibe.

My friends and I walked into the restaurant shortly after it opened and all tables were open except for one where three people in casual attire were sitting. As the hostess began to walk us to our table one of the men at the table stood up, made eye contact with the waitress and pointed to the far corner of the restaurant as an order of where our group deserved to sit. I assume the man was from management based upon his directive. Three other groups came in afterwards and the man did not make the same gesture while they were seated in other spots of the then empty restaurant. Who knew bigotry and prejudice was alive and well in DC in 2019?

awesome food, awesome service, awesome brunch deal.

Beautiful restaurant with an extensive and excellent menu and a very friendly and attentive staff. Four of us went for dinner and had a great time. We also were not rushed. The dining room is quite large, yet quiet enough to hear the people at your table (and not the people at adjoining tables). There is a very wide array of tapas, tacos, appetizers, and main dishes. The waiter was extremely helpful in explaining which dishes did and did not have peppers (my wife is allergic to peppers), and offered to have several that are normally made with peppers, made without them. Standout dishes included all the tacos (chicken, pork, fish), pork belly sliders, lobster gnocchi, and grilled cauliflower. If you can't find something you love on this menu, you are not trying. One of the best meals we have had in ages.

I was able to get an invite for the pre-opening rehearsal dinner at the new Tico restaurant on 14th St. Once word.. Amazing!
The atmosphere is very unique and sensual and the service was great. The cuisine, I believe is American Fusion. They have menu options of small plates to entrees and ceviche. I had the opportunity to try as much as my stomach could handle. The tuna and shrimp ceviche was so fresh and flavorful, as well as the mac n cheese and sweet corn. (note: they include bacon on a lot of dishes, so opt out if you're not into bacon) For the tacos, the crab and beef were extremely flavorful. We also sampled the scallops dish, which again was very fresh and tasty. Also the Spanish red wine complemented my dishes well. For dessert I tried the goat-cheese cheesecake and chocolate cake with gelato. Both were extremely fresh, rich and perfect to share. I would highly recommend checking this spot out as soon as they open!

The breakfast tacos were horrible. Super small portions and overpriced. The bartender was great, that s the only reason I m giving 3 stars instead of just 1.

Nice spot in downtown DC. Very creative with the dishes being fusion. Only drawback I have from the place was the waiter, he kept coming back too quick, my wife and I felt like we were being rushed, even though the place was empty on a sunday night.

Awesome place for brunch. I had the tico toddy it was amazing. I fully recommend the place if you are in the area

They have my favorite tequila (clase azul reposado).. I had my first meatless taco here and it was pretty damn good.. They start happy hour earlier than most places on 14th.. And they have flaming cheese.(but no salsa) a little pricey but that's the new "u st" corridor in general..

They still get my vote.

I would not recommend going to Latin restaurant and ordering a burger even though it's on the menu.. Ijs..

Great happy hour menu; fun assortment of small finger-sized things to eat. I particularly thought that the cauliflower tacos were great and look forward to trying the burgers that looked delicious on a future trip!

Very disappointed. We waited almost 45 min for a server. During that time the person that brought us water checked on us every 20 min or so. After he realized I was livid, he decided to go ahead and serve us. Everything I ordered except for the fried oysters was horrible and I still ended up spending close to $90 and that was split between two people. I will probably never go there again. The best part of my evening was the sparkling water. The server was sweet and tried to help as much as he could until his shift was over. Maybe when he left we got the person we should have had in the beginning. A DISASTER!

When you say "tacos", I don't expect just enough to make it plural.

I visited Tico just once for their Unlimited brunch at $39. I chose this brunch because there was a mix of sweet and savory foods. Most of the foods were delicious. Unfortunately, the service at brunch was not exemplary and it detracted from the experience and the value.

When we sat down, the waiter told us that he would be very busy and will send out food to us, as opposed to having us order a la carte off the unlimited menu. This was fine with my party because we wanted to try everything. The waiter did have a number of food runners bring out food but they were not conscientious of timing, so at one point we had such a full table that the runner was stacking the lips of plates on top of each other. and continued to bring us food even when we had clearly slowed down our eating pace. This led to a concerning level of food waste once we became full and discovered that the restaurant would not provide to-go boxes. Additionally, since the food runners were not servers they could not refill our drinks. One member of our party only had one drink the entire unlimited brunch and another had to ask six separate times for a single refill.

I understand that these unlimited brunches can be chaotic for the servers but I have seen it done better elsewhere at this price point and below.

Solid tapas place. Decent drinks too. Little pricy, but you're on 14th near U Street, so you should expect that.

Tico's is a breath of fresh air. We went for brunch on a Saturday. Matt, the waiter, was engaging and personable. The food we ordered for five people, although it wasn"t tapas, we turned our meal into a sharing experience. Requesting white anchovies on the side they came basking over delicious olive oil, a side of cauliflower with a chipolite sauce, cheese and bread crumbs was the tables favorite pass around dish. Macaroni and cheese with scallions....mmmmmm! I loved the duck confit with poached eggs and a special hollandiase sauce. It was our friend's birthday and I expected a cupcake with a candle. Nooooo! he got a tres leche cake, chocolate tart and OMG Churros con Dulce. WE died. Each one had a candle of it's own. We will definitely be back.

Been here for happy hour and brunch. The margaritas on tap are the best part of this place. It also has very beautiful decor and has some really large windows that can open up in the summer, making this an open space.

Great food. Get the Brisket Tacos and the Manchego appetizer

We came for brunch (though their weekday happy hour, which I've been to as well is ACE) and it was great. We were there on the late side and the service was as attentive as if it were the beginning of shift. My burger (not a standard brunch choice sure) was amazing and cooked perfectly - the fries were fabulous. My friend had he breakfast burrito which was enormous. The churros are a perfect addition.

They have very creative drinks and small plates here.
-hibiscus margarita is innovative (but the salt killed it for me, it it all natural!!)
-the monkey whiskey drink was superb
Small plates:
-squash was epic, however plan 15 minutes for it to bake!
-cauliflower was good, but small!
-calamari was a good size but too salty for several of us
Service:
-very attentive
Photos as of October 2018.

Wow! I can t say enough great things about this place! Amazing staff and the food is delicious. Hey he bartenders were attentive and the manager, Israel Dempsey, is very sweet.

I feel like I am Mugatu from the movie Zoolander when he says "Doesn't anybody notice? I feel like I am taking crazy pills", because all the reviews say this place is great and i think it's okay.

Produce quality ls very good, customer service is good, and general vibe is very good.

Great open atmosphere. Food was absolutely delicious!!!

You want happy hour if yes this is good place for it,they have a roof which they set up for you you can sit chill and have fun.they got those little burgers my favourite.

This is a great place to go for happy hour.The bartender r great! !

Do brunch from the bar. Order food individually and if you go over asked them then to do unlimited.

Went for labor day brunch
Food was delicious
Service was great
Reasonably priced
Mariachi band made it even more memorable

The guy from the bar was really disrespectful, and invite me to spend my money somewhere else. Probably he was having a bad day, it was so bad that I had to be accountable for. Visit Alero insted, they have great Happy Hours and the service was great.

I cannot say enough nice things about the food, service and - most incredible - experience.
We are out of town guests and had terrible or rude service at the prior two places we had eaten. Tico went above and beyond to be gracious, accommodating and make our meal an entertaining and unforgettable moment.
Thank you all so much!

Thee food too salty, impossible to eat. The menu is poor, and very few good wines. The service was also terrible. Every time I needed the waiter I had to wait forever. Too expensive and bad.

Chef Michael makes the best food. I came here on my birthday and was blown away. The drinks selection is optimal, the food choices vary greatly so there s always something for everyone and the staff is very nice. I recommend for you to try the tacos, they are the bomb! I always tell people to try Tico if they have never been there before. I can t wait to go back and eat something else

We were a big party. We tried nearly everything on the menu and each dish was delicious. Unfortunately, the place is very loud.

Nice brunch with clear Mexican influences. However, one star downgrade sine we were told the orange juice was fresh squeezed and it was clearly from a carton. Not cool.

Awesome bottomless brunch. Tried 3 of the cocktails and they were all very good. Lots of cool options on the menu.
Tacos were my least favorite part, they were good but not amazing. The churros were fantastic with a whipped cream dip. Also really enjoyed the duck hash.

Tico's brunch is POPPIN'. After having to wait 40 minutes to be seated, every single moment was enjoyable. And that's on me, I didn't read that the entire party had to be there to be seated, but I'll know for next time. As we got seated, Elizabeth took great care of us. Everyone did mimosas and they were awesome! They leave a carafe on the table and just replace that when it's empty.

In regards to the food, my absolute favorite was the duck and green chile hash. It tasted like magic, especially when you burst the egg on top and let the yolk soak into everything?? OOF. Really enjoyed the tacos too, especially the fried chicken one.

For $39, I would definitely go back. Just have to make sure everyone arrives on time so I don't have to wait! I was getting hangry haha. Thanks for the first brunch of 2020, Tico!

Great tapas place. Friendly staff, we came late and the restaurant stayed open another 20minutes until we finished our bottle of wine. Food was great, the lamb chops are fantastics. Most food we ordered was really delicious.

Vibrant, spacious joint that's easy to just pop in and get a table at. Tasty tapas and good service.

Food is quite good and the ambiance is very well done. Each time I've been, the staff has been super attentive without being annoying and responded well to my date's allergy issue. Diners should not go into this meal with preconceived notions, as the dishes do not fall into standard Latin dishes. One should feel free to be a bit adventurous, as there are several items on the menu that might challenge the palate without completely going off the rails. This, plus decent (if sweet) cocktails make for a fun night out. If it's warm, it's lovely to dine with the huge windows open to the street.

Fast-paced. Great food. Vegetarian options. Not a particularly quiet place, more for fun, family nights or catching up.

Great food mainly tapas style. Had the scallop Ceviche, beef tongue, calamari, and roasted cauliflower.

I agree with others that the hibiscus margarita is the best here. I also enjoy so many of their small plates - the risotto, the lamb meatballs, the duck tacos, the pork sliders. We really enjoy coming back and bringing our family and friends.

Food was phenomenal, service sufficient. Mixed drinks stellar. Price high, but for the creativity of the food, I get it. Best calamari I've ever had.

This during COVID-19 reopening. Brunch was amazing, 8 of use with reservations, 2 tables of 4. Perfect day with friends. David (the manager/host) and his staff were amazing, thank you!! The tapas are amazing, shrimp and grits, beef brisket with an egg on top, cabbage salad to name a few!! Mouth-watering delish!!

Recommended by someone in a Bar and as a food consultant I must confess the very best shrimp taco ever, sensational flavours as was my partners chicken tacos. Mexican food can be sensational and when in DC a massive tick for Ticos

I stumbled upon Tico s just after Sunday noon and was glad I did. Their brunch was exciting, with many tapas sized options to try. I opted for the $39 brunch with bottomless beverages, and even took the chance to try their seasonal martini with cranberry and pomegranate. David, the bartender, was fantastic. Be sure to thank him for his prior service as a Navy Chief. And the chef, fantastic. Can t wait to go back. If arriving after 1pm make sure you get a reservation. It was packed as I left.

Surprisingly good breakfast burrito and the service was excellent!

The bottomless brunch is out of this world good! Everything on the menu sounded delicious and everything we tried was delicious. We were so full when we left but it was so worth it. Get the corn bread and churros for sure!

Great and tasty food, I liked the ambience this spot has, and the employees were very welcoming. Will surely come back in the future.

Tico is fantastic. I recommend the corn, the crispy fish tacos, the yellow tail ceviche, and the crab tostada.

Rotation and small plates that are always good. Bottomless brunch will fill you to the brim and get you wavy with the drinks!

Please just go for happy hour. Please.

No need to try the small plates. The tasting menu is dressed up vegetables: fancy beets, fancy brussel sprouts and fancy cauliflower. Throw in some Mac and cheese and chunks of oily chorizo on a stick.

Great service and great food. Loved the selection provided in the $40 servers choice meal.

Min was literally the best waitress I have ever had ever, GIVE THIS HONEY A RAISE. She brings everything to the table

Went out to eat with family. Got the chef selection and all they gave us was dish after dish of Mac and cheese and Brussels sprouts for 50 dollars a head. We separately ordered for the kids and we did not get the Mac and cheese for us. They said they were going to bring out more food but at that point we were full. It took us 2 hours to get the food. After we discussed with the manager he gave us a little discount. Food was ok but it felt like they were filling us up with low cost options. If that is the chef selection I was not impressed. Very disappointed.

Awesome Mexican food and the best tequila selection I have seen anywhere in the US! Great atmosphere as well ,,,, enjoyed the steak as well as fresh guacamole,,,, watched some beer pong in bar area,,,,I will be back,,, thank you!

Fabulous Latin & Spanish restaurant in the U St corridor. Warm atmosphere and friendly service. Plenty of vegetarian options.

Didn't like the fact that you couldn't order a la carte and you had to order unlimited food or unlimited drink. Need more options for those of us who cannot eat or drink as much...

We went there for brunch on Saturday. Excellent service and the food was quick. Well priced for bottomless food and drink. I am pretty sure we had about one of everything on the menu. The fried chicken tacos and breakfast nachos are musts!!

Amazing service. Great food for a good price. Cocktails were not the best.

Great food and drinks. Waiter was awesome and bartender too.

Very popular place... Unfortunately, the food isn't that good. I had the Chicken Pad Thai and it was a disappointment. Ingredients seemed old and the spices didn't taste good.

Wow this place is expensive. I guess your paying for the view.

Good, simple food with a nice dining atmosphere. Great location!

Came here on a hung over Saturday morning and this was a great way for that hangover cure. Luckily there was no wait time like the other restaurants in the area and the food was fantastic! Service was great! Would definitely come here again.

Our favorite place to do bottomless brunch. Staff is friendly and always on point. Food is amazing, great taste and portions. French toast churros are my favorite on the menu.

We went for dinner with a group of friends. We order the table menu which it was supposed to be the chef special After waiting for two and a half hours and getting appetizers like Mac and cheese, Brussels sprouts, and salads we decided to call for the manager. He responded the food was coming, even though we still wait for a long time. At this point we decided not to even tried the tacos. We left very unhappy with a sense that we paid a large amount of money ($500) for only eating those appetizer. Never coming back again! Shame on them

Fish tacos and mussels were very good. Staff was friendly and attentive. A little bit pricey for the amount of food you get, but overall, great experience.